SAN DIEGO -- A University of California, San Diego student's misconception of homeless citizens and a desire to learn from them pushed her to experience for herself life on the streets of downtown San Diego.

For UCSD student and sorority member Shanelle Sherlin, it was an idea sparked by curiosity and fear.

"I usually am one of those people that will just walk by and not pay any attention to homeless people," said Sherlin. "I had the same preconceived notions that they are just all alcoholics."

Sherlin decided to dress up as a homeless person and lived among them downtown this past weekend. She told 10News the experience was humbling and embarrassing, and she was constantly stereotyped by people who passed by her.

"Most of them would just walk by, not even notice you. Some people would look down. If I made eye contact with them, they would look away. One guy even pulled his son away, like to the other side of him," said Sherlin.

From 3 p.m. Saturday until midnight, Sherlin was on the streets. She spent much of her time digging through dozens of trash cans, where she collected 75 bottles. While sitting in one area, she also collected about $32.

"I honestly felt like homeless people feel every day, because I was a homeless person," she said.

Sherlin said her experience became even more eye-opening when she started interviewing the people she was pretending to be like.

"When I listened to their stories about how they were living the same life as me, it just shows that regardless of where you go to school, what your job is, anybody can end up in this situation," said Sherlin.

She returned to the streets the following day and distributed her bottles and cash to several homeless people she spent time getting to know.

"I think the biggest thing is just that when people walk by them, they assume they are alcoholics and drug addicts, but that's just not the case. Many of them had good lives and it may have just been a bad luck situation that has led them here," said Sherlin.

Sherlin chose to do this as part of a school art project.

She said she now hopes to take a group of friends to the streets so they can experience what she did.